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Chartplotter/GPS Choice? Garmin or Raymarine?

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Scott Shephard
Deckhand

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USA
22 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/22/2009 : 15:49:46

My 250 WK has a Raymarine 4000+ autopilot and I'm wondering if I should stick with Raymarine for an chart plotter? I don't even know if a new Raymarine chart plotter/gps communicates with the 4000+ and what the advantages might be if it does.

I do own a Garmin hand held GPS and therefore have maps for it that work on the reservoir I sail on. So I'm wondering if I should consider a Garmin chart plotter instead? Can anyone help me with the comparative advantages?

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essen48183
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2009 : 16:31:35

I've understood it always to be an agreed upon standard called NMEA 2000 that ensures that different gps components, regardless of brand name, will work together. I have a lowrance with a network plug on the back that sends/recieves info to other electronics. I bought it because someday, I'd like to be able to install an autopilot that can follow a route. Handhelds usually do not include this functionality. A garmin non-handheld would probably work though. here is some basic info. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NMEA_2000

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2009 : 18:43:22

Raymarine uses a proprietary network to interface their components called Seatalk. If you want to get NMEA sentences out of it, you need a separate encoder/decoder that goes for around $250 in WM's catalog. What this means is that if you want your Raymarine chartplotter to talk to your DSC enabled VHF, you need a translator in the middle. I have no idea if your autopilot will talk directly to a Raymarine chartplotter or not, you'd think it would. Maybe an email to them to ask about specifics is in order?

I have a Garmin GPSMap 276C that's interfaced with my Uniden VHF as well as my Raymarine ST 1000+ tiller pilot. Getting everything to talk to one another was a bit of a chore, but I finally got it figured out. I have an Excel spreadsheet I can send you with the various wire color connections to do so.

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bren737
Captain

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291 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2009 : 19:26:55

Scott,

I just finished an install/upgrade with a Garmin 4208 GPS/chartplotter and a Raymarine S3 autopilot system on 'Fiato'. They talk just fine to each other via NMEA 2000 without the 'translator'. Ray tech said that the newer autopilot systems have the Seatalk/NMEA 2000 converter already built in, so it may depend on the age of your equipment. It all talks to my DSC VHF as well without any problem.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2009 : 08:20:43

We have a Garmin GPSMap 492 with all of the US coastal maps built-in as well as Canada near the US. We are very happy with it. We don't have autopilot but we do have it connected to our iCom VHF for DSC capabilities and that works well too. The Garmin user interface is intuitive. My advice on chartplotters is go for the biggest screen you can afford.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/23/2009 : 23:51:17

I've interfaced my Garmen E-Trex Mariner handheld GPS with my ST 1000+ autopilot. As to following routes, unless its changed, autopilots won't automatically change direction upon hitting a waypoint but rather will sound an alarm alerting the helmsman of the waypoint so they can make/confirm the heading change. Although my GPS/autopilot interface has been in place for 6-7 years, I've only played with track mode a few times. One of the problems I encountered in track mode was the GPS and autopilot are oblivious to changes in apparent wind angles.

When using the autopilot alone, I often make continuous course changes to maintain my apparent wind angle. If I had some cash to burn, I'd buy a wind transducer to interface with my autopilot.

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2009 : 09:18:05

A lot of good points made so far. The Raymarine 4000 doesn't talk... but it listens. There is really no reason for it to talk.

And... it will listen to most any gps even handhelds to do goto waypoints or track routes, with the requirement as mentioned that waypoint changes in a route require confirmation (which is a good thing).

I'm not sure about the need for the autopilot to converse with a vhf... it seems to me that talk would come from the gps to the radio but it certainly could be a problem if the auto pilot required the gps to be set to a language that the vhf didn't understand so I'm thinking that might be the point Bren is making. If you want the gps to talk to both the vhf and the autopilot... then confirm that each can understand a similar language.

Don... also raises a good point about apparent wind and the use of a pilot. I've used a pilot a lot and not found the apparent wind issue to be too much of a problem. One reason is that many boats including my 250 can be trimmed when going to weather so that the auto pilot isn't needed... just lock the helm and the boat will steer the apparent wind course. Additionally, those who have installed apparent wind devices say that they are the most problematic of all instruments plus the least used making the investment in them questionable.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2009 : 11:22:08

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Arlyn Stewart
 ...goto waypoints or track routes, with the requirement as mentioned that waypoint changes in a route require confirmation (which is a good thing).<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">That's for sure! You don't want an unannounced jibe or tack, with a suddenly backwinded jib, caused by an automatic change of course to the next waypoint!

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.